


Arm In Arm

by generalshucks



Category: Little Mix (Band), One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Orchestra, Anal, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, M/M, Oral Sex, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, i think you'll like this, oceanslarry, okay so this is my first work on here but I've done other things, one direction - Freeform, orchestras are cool alright, otp
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-21
Updated: 2015-01-21
Packaged: 2018-03-08 11:26:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3207452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/generalshucks/pseuds/generalshucks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry can play piano and Louis can play the flute and they both try not to think about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Starting

Louis quite enjoyed playing the flute. And he was good at it too. He'd started playing when he found one in his basement. He was about 11. Louis swept his eyes over the rest of the orchestra. It had been 11 years since. He held his flute at the ready, surveying the other woodwinds. He lifted the flute to his pursed lips. And he began to play.

Harry trailed Mr. Hanchetta into the orchestra room. They slid silently into some back seats. Harry bit nervously at his thumbnail. Nobody had been distracted by their entrance. Sweet tendrils of music reached out and swept through the empty seats, grazing icy fingertips up Harry's spine. His eyes caught the empty pianoforte and roamed hungrily over it. The piece was over as it began and Mr. Hanchetta stood up and started towards the artists. Harry followed him, more at ease after hearing the familiar music. They musicians were packing up their instruments. Harry was led up to two people.  
"Niall, Louis, this is Harry. Piano, meet viola and flute." Harry let his eyes roam over the blonde boy, trying to place the face and the name together. Louis looked up from where he was putting his flute in a case. Blue eyes. Feathered caramel hair. Harry figured he wouldn't have too hard of a time remembering his name. Harry nodded and smiled, extending a hand. Niall shook it vigorously. Louis looked Harry up and down before smiling gently.  
"Boys, if you can, I'd like one of you to take Harry for a tour." Mr. Hanchetta smiled and looked at all three of them. Niall scratched at the back of his neck.  
"I actually have to get going..."  
Louis rolled his eyes.  
"I could take some time out of my day." His eyes snapped to Harry. The curly boy blushed apologetically. Mr. Hanchetta smiled and left the boys. Niall laughed.  
"So calm and composed that one! Hans sure can suck the life out of you."  
Another two voices behind Harry laughed.  
"Harry, meet Zayn and Liam. Violin, cello." Louis introduced, popping his hip. Zayn reached out and shook Harry's hand. Liam chuckled.  
"Good luck. What are you, now?"  
"Piano." Harry replied quietly.  
"It speaks!" Louis shrieked, laughing wildly. The drug of music was wearing off. Louis looked between all of the boys. "I do believe young Harold and I have a tour planned. Run along!" Louis mock shooed the other boys and they went off, laughing.  
"Harry." He corrected.  
"Ah. My bad." Louis didn't look like it was his bad. He led Harry over the the large piano. "Work your magic Mr..."  
"Styles."  
"Yeah, well. Do it." Louis leaned against the piano. Harry's pale fingers brushed the ivory keys gently. Louis definitely didn't think about his fingers for a smidge too long, no, not one bit. And then he started playing. A beautiful melody met Louis's ears. They both woke up as the song drifted to an end. Harry looked up at Louis, grinning.  
"Not too shabby, Harold." Louis walked in a different direction, fully expecting Harry to follow him.  
"Uhm...could you show me to the toilets?" Harry had a pleasantly deep, slow voice. Louis nodded.  
"You've said a full sentence, then! Proper warming up to me?"  
Harry snorted.  
"I'm not mute."  
"And cheeky too! What a surprise!" Louis acted mock shocked, earning a giggle.  
"I'll just...I've got to wee...so..."  
"I don't have to wait outside. I won't peek or anything, love." Louis teased. Harry rolled his eyes at the ridiculous concept and followed him inside.

-

Harry closed and locked the door behind him.  
"Home so soon?" Harry's roommate looked around the corner from the kitchen, "just in time for soup."  
"Merci." Harry set down his bag. The soup smelled wonderful.  
"N'importe quel temps, pianiste." Lola replied. The tiny French girl set a bowl of soup on the counter, "eat up, loser."  
"You're nicer in French." Harry scowled. She rolled her brown eyes.  
"Did I say pianiste? I meant to say bite."  
Harry chuckled.  
"A nice boy gave me a tour of the building. They had fancy soap in the toilets. And a huge black piano."  
Lola laughed and left the room, muttering something that sounded strangely like juste la façon dont vous l'aimez...

-

Louis kicked his shoes inside the door. "I need a bath."  
"Thanks for the announcement." Liam scoffed. Liam, Niall, and a few girls lived with Louis in a group house. Rent was easier, and they all got along. It was an ideal situation. Louis burped in Liam's direction and started up stairs to the bathroom. He started the warm water and grabbed some supplies from the cabinet.  
"Jesy, did you steal one of my bath bombs?" Louis called.  
"No!" She called back innocently. The blue ring around the tub said differently.  
"You owe me!" Louis locked the door and pulled out a Space Girl, because of course he was gay enough for bath bombs (and a purple loofah). He shed his clothes and relaxed into the hot water. His mind drifted to the boy he'd given a tour to. Nice, curly hair, green eyes. Amazing pianist. Skinny, hipstery type. Pretty good looking too. Louis banished the thoughts from his mind. It was time to release the knot from his neck and relax. Louis couldn't think about straight boys right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...yes?


	2. Teal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "As hard as you try  
> No, I will never be  
> Knocked down."  
> -Adele (Turning Tables)

Harry got to the orchestra room early. The sky was light grey in the early sunlight. Mr. Hanchetta wasn't in the room, he was probably in his office. Harry stowed the extra key back under the unscrewed light switch panel it lived in. He would have his own key soon. He stepped backwards through the door. Alone. The word didn't feel harsh and lonely where there was music.  
Being alone felt like freedom.  
Harrys phone dinged.  
Nick: Where r u  
Harry typed out a response,  
At work, u? xx  
Nick: At ur orchestra thing  
Harry: Yeah y? xx  
Nick: U can skip it today come 2 my flat  
Harry: Nick i cant its my first day xx  
Nick: Fine then dont bother coming over today  
Harry: Nick dont  
Nick: stop texting me im busy  
Harry sighed and tossed his phone at his bag in frustration.  
"Girlfriend troubles?"  
Harry turned around to see Louis just inside the door.  
"I guess so."  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Louis meandered over towards Harry.  
"My uhm...boyfriend...ex I guess now...is just being ridiculous. It's no big deal."  
Boyfriend? Louis showed no emotion on his face.  
"Oh. Okay." Louis turned away to unpack his flute. Harry had an ex boyfriend. And if he had a boyfriend, then he liked boys. Which meant...  
Louis turned and smiled at Harry who was sitting down at the piano.

-

Louis and Harry were the first to arrive at rehearsals and the last to leave for the entire week. Louis would often sit on the end of Harry's bench and do duets with him after hours. Today was one of those days. Louis shifted dangerously close to Harry on the bench, their thighs pressed together.  
"Do you know this one?" Louis flipped to a page in Harry's piano book. Harry nodded.  
"Let's do it."  
Louis got up and grabbed his flute.  
They started to play.*  
They met eyes, neither striking a false note. The music came from their eyes, blending together. Somehow, green and blue stopped being two and became one. Teal. Teal water, teal music, teal symphonies in the air. The song ended, trailing off. Harry stood up, not taking his eyes off Louis, because there was still teal in the oxygen they were breathing. Louis reached up and brushed a curl away from Harrys eyes. And then there was pink. Pink lips and teal symphonies and black pianos and that was all.  
A harsh clapping sounded through the room.  
"Bravo, boys." Harry pulled back from Louis, starting.  
"Nick? What are you doing here?" Harry flushed.  
"I was going to pick you up for lunch but it appears you've made other plans." Nick pinched his thin lips together.  
"Harry...?" Louis brought attention to the fact that he was still there.  
"Ah...this is Nick. My...recently ex-boyfriend." Harry explained quietly. He shifted to look at Nick, "you broke up with me, Nick. We're over." he said softly, as if he was trying to be gentle. Nick scoffed.  
"Just a misunderstanding. Come one, we're getting lunch."  
Harry shook his head.  
"Nick, I don't think you understand. We're DONE. I am done with your bullshit you utter knob!" Harry yelled. It was the most confident Louis had ever heard his voice. Even Nick looked taken aback slightly, "remember the time I burned dinner and you held my hand to the stove? Remember when you told me to cut deeper? Remember all the times you took advantage of me? Never again!" Harry's face was red. Nick nodded and backed away slowly, out the door under Louis's glare.  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Louis asked quietly. Harry shook his head. Louis didn't need to look around to know that the teal was gone, and green and blue were separate again.

That didn't mean he would forget it.

-

Harry and Louis didn't talk about The Kiss or The Teal Day. Harry didn't stay late or come early anymore. Their first symphony concert was coming up and Louis, Zayn, Liam, Niall, and Harry-who was finally getting into their group-were out for a celebratory drink.  
Niall and Louis were yelling loudly at the telly (football was on). Zayn sat next to Harry.  
"Is something going on with you and Louis, then?"  
Harry looked up.  
"N-no?" Harry was a bit taken aback by the question. Did Louis want that? Did Louis...no. He couldn't. Harry didn't deserve someone amazing like Louis.  
Zayn rolled his eyes.  
"You're both so blind."  
Louis waved at Harry from the bar when he looked up. Maybe...

-

Louis opened the orchestra room door. He almost jumped when he heard a voice.  
"Hey Lou." Louis smiled up at Harry, sitting on his piano bench.  
"Hey Hazza." Louis didn't mention that Harry was early. Something that felt like gold coursed through his veins, but Louis knew it was better. Louis knew that there was a chance of turquoise skies, blue green music, and Harry and Louis. Maybe...maybe HarryandLouis as a package deal. There was no more denying this to himself, as he pulled out his flute, there was something teal that he craved.

-

Harry had some of the orchestra people coming over later to celebrate their successful concert. They'd performed for a room full of people who wanted and needed them for this or that or something somewhere. They'd done well. The boys (Louis, Niall, Liam) were bringing their roommates (Jesy, Jade, Leigh-Anne, and Perrie) and Zayn. A few other random people from the orchestra were also invited, Ed, Josh, James and a few others Harry couldn't think of. Louis was coming early to set up and he would be here any second. Harry wore his usual long sleeved button up undone with a plain white t-shirt under it and skin tight black jeans. His hair was quiffed up instead of his normal unkempt curly mass.  
Someone knocked and Lola, being closer, opened the door.  
"Louis." Harry smiled, trying to stop his eyes from exploring every inch of his body. Louis's short sleeve black band tee showed off ink down his arms. His hair was feathered up into a quiff as well, and his light wash jeans were rolled up at his sockless ankles.  
"You look great." Harry sounded a little strangled, and looked down at his own brown boots.  
"As do you. Lose the button-up though. It's 300 degrees in here!" Louis feigned death. Harry laughed, shrugging off the shirt. His slightly quirky butterfly tattoo showed through the thin white shirt, and, well. Louis was hiding his stares at Harry's torso very poorly.  
"So, decorations then?" Harry asked. Louis nodded. Maybe, they both thought. Maybe they had a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So basically I got rid of him in the same chapter I introduced him. But don't worry, he'll be back. *evil face*  
> I'll try to get on a schedule of update but HONESTLY I am SO BAD at schedules. I will try. I hope you like this so far! Xx -W  
> * the song they play: http://youtu.be/CAMZQL9uVyI


	3. Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "One   
> Two  
> Three  
> Four  
> Tell me that you love me more"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH! So sorry I'm late, I've been very sick! I'm trying to be in time but ugh. Apologies if this chapter sucks  
> SMUTTT! Turn back now...it sucks ass (not literally this time)

It was dark and blurry and everything smelled like alcohol and sweat. Harry and Lola's small apartment was definitely not meant to hold this many people. Harry stumbled around, trying to sort faces. Niall and Lola were over in a corner talking, both the flirty, heavy drinker types. They would make a good match. Harry spotted a few boys from the orchestra in a little huddle...Troye, Tyler, and...Connor? He struggled to remember names. Harry waved. Louis was sitting with Perrie, only two drinks in and not even close to drunk. He looked up and saw Harry. "Oh go, talk to your boy." Perrie told him quietly.  
Your boy.  
Louis felt warm. He nodded and her, grinning, and walked towards Harry.  
"Hey Haz."  
"Heyyyyy boobeaaaarrr..." Harry slurred. Louis laughed.  
"How much have you had to drink?" Louis asked. Harry held up his finger and his thumb about an inch apart and squinted at them. Louis laughed again.  
"I like your laugh...it's so pretty." Harry giggled, "I like you."  
"I like you too, Harry." Louis blushed, but under the dark light, nobody could see.  
Harry's whole face lit up, "You do?" He surged forward and bear hugged Louis.  
"Do you want to go get coffee? O-or ice cream or something?" Harry searched quickly. Louis giggled.  
"Harry, you are so drunk." Harry reached up and placed his thumb over Louis's mouth.  
"Or was it just a ploy to seduce you with my cute drunkness?" Harry drawled. Louis flushed.  
"Y-you're drunk." Louis's protest was lost in the loud music as Harry dragged him to the makeshift bar. Louis found Zayn and Liam surrounded by a crowd, in a drinking contest. Harry dragged him past them, leaving enough time for him to tell that they were tied.  
"Two please."

-

After several shots everything was warm and blurry including Harry's hand wrapped around his own. They pressed up against each other on the "dance floor" (the rug in the living room). Harry reached up and stroked Louis's cheek again.  
"Wanna kiss you." He said in Louis's ear over the loud music. The sober part of Louis screamed that he shouldn't, but for fucks sake, he wanted to. Louis turned around and pressed their lips together. Too late. Harry reciprocated, nibbling at Louis's bottom lip and sliding his hands to Louis's waist. It was over too quickly.  
"More drinks?" 

-

Louis woke up strangely sticky and smelly. And this bed...this bed was most certainly not his. Louis's own bed would never stab him with springs. His arms were wrapped around someone, and he was pressed into their warm back. He absently traced his finger up their spine from where it was at rest on their hip. Louis's foggy brain tried desperately to connect the dots. And then:  
Harry.  
Holy shit, Harry!

-

Harry led Louis into his bedroom after they escaped the crowd.  
"This is it. The gayest room you'll ever see." It was true. "Pink isn't JUST a girl color." Harry justified. Black and white band posters covered the walls. Harry had a fuzzy pink rug, which was the cause of his remark. Or maybe it was the drapes. Or the pillows. Louis giggled.  
"So...?"  
Louis looked up at Harry.  
"I think this is the part where we undress each other savagely." Louis joked. Harry instead walked towards Louis and tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear.   
"Blowjobs?" Harry asked. Louis nodded silently. He wanted this. He really wanted everything to do with this beautiful, baggage-laden boy. Louis pulled Harry's shirt up and off. Harry's tattoos were dark etchings in his pale skin. Louis pressed his mouth to the lone sparrow on Harry's chest. Harry ran his hands down Louis's spine and grabbed a hold of his bum. Louis giggled as Harry lifted him onto the bed. Louis shrugged out of his shirt and scooted backwards to make room for Harry, who was shimmying out of his painted on jeans. His briefs clung in just the right way that left Lou's mouth watering. Harry climbed in next to him.   
"Haz, off." Louis complained. Harry had his jeans off in a matter of seconds and started palming Lou roughly through his briefs. Louis sucked a large mark into Harry's throat, leaving him moaning and stroking both of them at once. Louis batted his hands away from his aching cock and slid down Harry's body.   
"Please-L-" Harry's voice broke as Louis tugged off his pants. He was hard and curved against his stomach. Louis made eye contact with Harry as he took the tip into his mouth. Harry moaned as he sank lower, taking as much as he could without gagging. Louis started up a rhythm, hearing Harry get louder and louder, moaning his name. 

-

Harry woke up drowsy and completely surprised to find a very small person pressed against his back.  
"Lou?" Harry whispered. He waited a few seconds, terrified of the answer.  
"Yes." Louis's voice replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? Feedback please!


	4. Pink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK I AM SO DO SORRY IVD GSD HORRIBLE WRITERS BLOCK SND IVE BEDN REALLY SICK I SUCK UGH

Harry paced back and forth across the pink rug. Louis watched his sock clad feet track across the fibers, and listened to the occasional curses streaming from Harry's mouth. Both boys were now wearing pajama pants (courtesy of Harry). Louis swung his feet from where they were hanging off the side of the bed. Left. Right. Left. Right. They'd slept together. They'd given each other blowjobs. His mouth had been on Harry's cock and vice versa. Louis let his mind flicker with images of Harry's wet pink lips taking him in, making him feel so good. He willed the picture away. He looked up at Harry's face, where he was still pacing, deep in thought.  
"Harry." Louis said out loud. His voice was rough, and his throat kind of hurt, sending chills down his spine. Harry stopped pacing and met Louis's sapphire eyes. Louis sighed, "I'm not straight. I haven't thought I was straight since grade seven. And in eight I got wanked off in a broom closet by Garrett Huggins. Football player. That's when I knew." He assessed Harry's reaction. He looked tentatively relieved.  
"So I wasn't...a mistake?" Harry sounded so small. Louis shook his head.  
"Haz, babe, you could never be a mistake."  
Harry smiled. Louis bit his lip.  
"So just friendly blowies, then?" Louis's own heart ached as he said it. Friendly.  
"Yeah. Friendly entertainment." Harry replied. It was settled then. Louis got up and hugged Harry. Friends.

-

It was the third time Louis had aggressively got off in the shower since the party. Once again, someone was banging on the bathroom door telling him to shut the hell up. Liam or Zayn most likely, since the girls were at pilates. Their newest fad group activity. Louis moaned loudly. Harry. Harry. Harry. Louis came, choking out his name. He washed himself off and turned off the tap. He was honestly too upset to be embarrassed when he opened the door to a stern looking Zayn.  
"Yeah, yeah." Louis waved him off without allowing him to speak.  
"Talk to him about it."  
Louis turned around sighing and holding up his towel.  
"I don't want to lose him no matter how he feels about me. I care about him too much." Louis complained. Zayn shrugged.   
"Everyone knows he likes you too. Just saying." Zayn tossed back his fringe, which he hadn't bothered to style. He was studying all day for an exam at the community college.  
"Does not!"  
Zayn looked at Louis boredly.  
"Do you...really think so?" Louis asked shyly. Zayn rolled his eyes, but then nodded.  
"Also...ehm...I told you I'd say I was finally fucking someone? Well, I am." Zayn said nervously. Louis almost dropped his towel.  
"Who? Who!" Louis demanded. Zayn laughed.  
"I never promised to tell you who." He smirked evilly. Louis grumbled and stalked off to his room. 

-

It was all settled. Louis was his friend. They were just best friends. Friends who liked to suck each other off. Well, at least Harry did. Louis could never feel the same. How could he, when Harry was such a worthless person? Harry rubbed his forehead. He'd gotten back from rehearsal about 5 minutes ago, and Louis hadn't looked at him the whole time.  
There was a knock on the door. Harry stiffened. He got up and pulled up his sweatpants, leaving his shirtsleeves rolled up and his shirt unbuttoned.  
"Louis?" Harry opened the door and his blood pressure spiked. Louis smiled timidly, attempting to hide his eyes trailing all over Harry's body. Harry noticed and blushed.  
"Hey so uhm...I thought maybe we could talk? About the party?" Louis rubbed his neck.  
"Oh."  
Oh. Harry opened the door wider to let Lou in.  
Louis shifted his gaze to the floor when he walked in.  
"I don't think..." Louis felt like his throat was constricting. He coughed.  
"I don't think we can be friends." He finished.  
Harry's chest thumped. He knew it. Louis didn't even want him as a friend now. He had to do something. He had to lie.  
"Louis..." Harry's voice broke.  
"Harry, I mean that we should-"  
"I'm back together with Nick." Harry blurted. He cursed himself mentally.  
Louis stopped. A million thoughts went through his head.  
No.  
No!  
NO!  
We should try dating. He was trying to say they should try it. Of course Harry didn't feel the same. How stupid was Louis trying to confess his love?  
"I thought you hated Nick." Was what Louis managed to choke out.  
"Um...I did. But we talked it out and now we're...okay." Harry lied. Fuck. He needed to get back with Nick?  
"So..."  
"So we can still be friends?" Harry asked. Lou nodded.  
At least friends, Harry thought.  
Just friends.

-

Nick and Harry were never a good couple. Not the first time, not the second time, and they honestly never would be. Harry looked at Nick's dark eyes. He was surprised at first when he looked up from the menu and didn't see a big smile and glowing blue.  
"What are you getting, Harry dear?" Nick asked with his usual tone of false joy and approval.  
"The pasta, you?" Harry said unthinkingly.  
"Pasta?" Nick raised his eyebrows. "Do you really think carbs are a good call?"  
Harry internally screamed.  
"You're right, I'll go with a salad instead. No croutons." Harry corrected instead.  
Nick hummed faintly as Harry looked back down at the menu.  
"I think I will get the pasta though, looks great. Have you lost weight recently, darling? You look thinner." Nick rambled.  
Harry couldn't do this.  
"Thank you."

Nick had started out fine. Funny, caring, outgoing. But then things would happen. Nick would comment on his weight, or pinch Harry a bit too hard. They fought all the time. Harry realized that it was wrong. Love wasn't like this. 

Love was Louis. Love was soft and giggly and warm. Love was teal.

Harry blinked back to the orchestra room. Louis was focusing intently on his flute. Niall kept glancing nervously at Louis while tuning his viola. Harry noticed Zayn and Liam whispering hushedly. He refocused on his piano and started quietly playing Fur Elise from memory in his boredom. Most of the musicians were leaving. Harry closed his eyes and let his fingers drift over the ivory keys. Flashes of skin colored the darkness. Louis.

When he opened his eyes, he was alone in the room. But not really.  
"Quite a good job Harold." Nick said, walking through the stands and chairs.  
"Hello Nick." Harry said. He'd made his choice. He gritted his teeth.  
"So-"  
"I need you to listen because I've thought long and hard about it." Harry stood up with this proclamation, looking strong and proud. "We can't keep doing this. We are no longer dating. I'm breaking up with you."  
"Wh-"  
"Don't interrupt. I'm in love with someone else. When I met him, I realized what true love is. So adieu Nick. So long. We are over." He glared at Nick until he walked backwards and then finally out of the room. Harry slumped down onto the piano bench once he was sure Nick was gone. He didn't cry. He brushed his fingers lightly over the keys. And he started playing. A beautiful quiet melody filled the room. Harry sighed into the piano. Every tear was a note, a single caress of the keys.   
And then the room was empty once again. Except it wasn't.  
"Harry?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHO IS IT? Plot twist: it's me  
> Jk jk  
> How was it?


End file.
